European Union leaders failed to reach an agreement over the EU budget in late June, but Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Research, says it doesn't have to be a setback for research in the region. Potocnick put a positive spin on the budget summit collapse, saying it could now open up a new debate about EU spending. "If a real discussion now starts about having a budget that looks forward to the future and spends more on science and research, then it could turn out to be a good thing," says his spokesperson, Antonia Mochan.
Potocnik's comments may help reassure European scientists concerned that the collapse of the EU summit and the failure to agree on a budget could have negative consequences for research, delaying projects and slashing funds, and potentially hindering the formation of a new European Research Council (ERC).
The European Commission had proposed a doubling of the ...
